Written Answers Tuesday 18 November 2008

Scottish Executive

Alcohol

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16814 by Kenny MacAskill on 21 October 2008, whether it intends to take action to increase the number of test purchases of alcohol conducted in police force areas where the number conducted is comparatively and disproportionately low.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government believes that test purchasing provides the police with a useful additional tool to help prevent illegal underage sales of alcohol and that active test purchasing encourages licensees to be more vigilant in exercising their legal obligations to avoid underage sales.

  However, it is just one tactical option available to the police to enforce the law and the number of tests, in themselves, cannot be taken as a reflection of the extent of enforcement activity taking place in a police force area. It also need to be borne in mind that the safety and welfare of the young test purchasers is a paramount consideration and it has taken some forces longer than others to recruit test purchasers and to ensure all the necessary safeguards are in place. We will continue to work with ACPOS to encourage and support test purchasing arrangements.

Ambulance Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances are operated by the Scottish Ambulance Service in the north east.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new (a) ambulances, (b) Rapid Response Unit vehicles and (c) paramedic bikes were purchased by the Scottish Ambulance Service for the north east in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) ambulances, (b) Rapid Response Unit vehicles and (c) paramedic bikes are at the disposal of the north east.

Shona Robison: The total numbers of all categories of accident and emergency vehicles for the (former) north east operating division, which comprises NHS Grampian, NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland is set out in the following table. While the north east and north and west operating divisions have now been merged, vehicle numbers are still recorded under the previous structures.

  

 
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Accident and Emergency Units
 49
 49
 42
 42


 Rapid Response Vehicles
 6
 6
 6
 6


 2nd Responder
 3
 3
 3
 3


 Island Vehicle
 0
 0
 7
 7


 Neo-natal / Special Accident and Emergency Units
 1
 1
 1
 1


 Total
 59
 59
 59
 59



  Notes:

  *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

  **Information for 2008-09 is as at 11 November 2008.

Ambulance Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many double-crewed ambulances are in service on each day of the week between (a) 6 am and 6 pm and (b) 6 pm and 6 am in the north east and where these vehicles are located.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Ambulance Service rapid response units are in service on each day of the week between (a) 6 am and 6 pm and (b) 6 pm and 6 am in the north east and where these vehicles are located.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents double-crewed ambulances from the north east (a) were called to and (b) attended in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents Scottish Ambulance Service rapid response units from the north east (a) were called to and (b) attended in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents the Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team in the north east (a) were called to and (b) attended in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents the Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team in the north east attended for which the incident required the full team to be deployed in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C calls double-crewed ambulances in the north east attended in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C calls the Scottish Ambulance Service rapid response units in the north east attended in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C calls were received in the north east for which an ambulance was not immediately dispatched in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C calls were received in the north east for which an ambulance was not immediately dispatched but was subsequently in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C calls were received in the north east for which more than one ambulance was required to attend and how long it took for the last vehicle to arrive on scene in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C calls were attended by Scottish Ambulance Service First Responders in the north east in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category A calls were received in the north east for which the first response dispatched was (a) a doubled-crewed ambulance, (b) a single-crewed ambulance, (c) a Rapid Response Unit, (d) the Special Operations Response Team or (e) a double-crewed ambulance and Rapid Response Unit simultaneously in each of the last three years

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C calls were attended by a single-crewed ambulance in the north east in each of the last three years.

Shona Robison: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service. The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Ambulance Service can be contacted at:

  National Headquarters

  Tipperlinn Road

  Edinburgh

  EH10 5UU.

Ambulance Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulance (a) paramedics and (b) technicians are employed in the north east, not including paramedics and technicians in the Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) paramedics and (b) technicians were employed to operate ambulances in the north east in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) paramedics and (b) technicians were employed to operate rapid response units in the north east in each of the last three years.

Shona Robison: The total number of paramedics and technicians employed within the (former) north east operating division, which comprises NHS Grampian, NHS Shetland and NHS Orkney, as at 11 November 2008 is set out below. Staff numbers are still recorded under the previous structures.

  (a) Paramedics – 117

  (b) Technicians – 104.

  The Scottish Ambulance Service does not recruit paramedics and technicians to operate a particular vehicle. Once staff are trained and operational they are allocated to vehicles as appropriate to meet operational need.

Ambulance Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team staff are employed in the north east.

Shona Robison: As at 10 November 2008, there are 22 Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team (SORT) staff based in Aberdeen. This team covers the entire north of Scotland area.

Ambulance Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team staff it intends to recruit in the north east in the next three years.

Shona Robison: Discussions are on-going between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Ambulance Service about future resourcing for Special Operations Response Teams.

Ambulance Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to select the calls that Scottish Ambulance Service First Responders attend.

Shona Robison: It is important to stress that Community First Responders are utilised in addition to an emergency ambulance response being dispatched.

  Where schemes are in place, the Scottish Ambulance Service dispatch Community First Responders to all life threatening category A calls except road traffic accidents, any calls indicating a violent or domestic situation or obstetric calls.

Ambulance Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category A calls were attended by double-crewed ambulances in under eight minutes in the city of Aberdeen in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category A calls were attended by Scottish Ambulance Service rapid response units in under eight minutes in the city of Aberdeen in each of the last three years.

Shona Robison: The national response time target for category A calls (life threatening) across mainland Scotland is that, by March 2009, 75% of all incidents should be reached within eight minutes.

  For the city of Aberdeen, category A performance is set out in the following table. Detail about which type of vehicles responded to calls is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

  

 
 Total Category A Incidents
 Total Met within 8 Minutes
 Category A %


 2005-06
 5,513
 4,811
 87.3%


 2006-07
 5,174
 4,444
 85.9%


 2007-08
 6,293
 5,734
 91.1%



  Notes:

  *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service

  **City of Aberdeen is defined as postcode sectors AB10, AB11, AB13, AB14, AB15, AB16, AB22, AB23, AB24, AB25.

Ambulance Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category B calls were attended by double-crewed ambulances in under 14 minutes in the city of Aberdeen in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category B calls were attended by Scottish Ambulance Service rapid response units in under 14 minutes in the city of Aberdeen in each of the last three years.

Shona Robison: The national response time target for category B calls (serious but not life threatening) across mainland Scotland is that, by March 2009, 95% of all incidents should be reached within 14, 19 or 21 minutes depending on population density. For the NHS Grampian area, the target is 21 minutes.

  For the city of Aberdeen, category B performance is set out in the following table. Detail about which type of vehicles responded to calls is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

  

 
 Total Category B Incidents
 Total Met within 21 Minutes
 Category B %


 2005-06
 7,050
 7,008
 99.4%


 2006-07
 8,865
 8,692
 98.0%


 2007-08
 8,562
 8,444
 98.6%



  Notes:

  *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service

  **City of Aberdeen is defined as postcode sectors AB10, AB11, AB13, AB14, AB15, AB16, AB22, AB23, AB24, AB25.

Ambulance Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category A calls were attended by double-crewed ambulances in the north east, excluding the city of Aberdeen, in under 14 minutes in each of the last three years.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category A calls were attended by Scottish Ambulance Service rapid response units in the north east, excluding the city of Aberdeen, in under 14 minutes in each of the last three years.

Shona Robison: This information is not held in the format requested.

  The national response time target for category A calls (life threatening) across mainland Scotland is that, by March 2009, 75% of all incidents should be reached within eight minutes. For category B calls (serious but not life threatening), by March 2009 95% of all incidents should be reached within 14, 19 or 21 minutes depending on population density. For the NHS Grampian area, the target is 21 minutes.

  For Aberdeenshire, category A and B performance is set out in the following tables.

  

 
 Total Category A Incidents
 Total Met within 8 Minutes
 Category A %


 2005-06
 5,840
 3,083
 52.8%


 2006-07
 4,979
 2,720
 54.6%


 2007-08
 6,667
 3,877
 58.2%



  

 
 Total Category B Incidents
 Total Met within 21 Minutes
 Category B %


 2005-06
 7,127
 6,684
 93.8%


 2006-07
 10,198
 9,198
 90.2%


 2007-08
 9,650
 8,810
 91.3%



  Notes:

  *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service

  **Aberdeenshire is defined as the NHS Grampian area, minus the postcode areas allocated to Aberdeen City (AB10, AB11, AB13, AB14, AB15, AB16, AB22, AB23, AB24, AB25).

Enterprise

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses will have benefited from the Small Business Bonus Scheme in 2008-09, broken down by (a) discount band and (b) local authority.

John Swinney: Information on the number of businesses which will have benefited from the Small Business Bonus Scheme in 2008-09 in the form requested is not held centrally. However, information will be available in due course on the number of business properties which have been awarded relief under the scheme, using information provided routinely by local authorities in regular statistical returns.

Fire Safety

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government about measures being taken to ensure that furniture and upholstery products that fail to meet UK fire regulations do not enter Scotland.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues. In particular, the Scottish Government liaises regularly with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on the specific issue of consumer product safety. There have been no representations to the UK Government on this specific issue.

Fuel Costs

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with UK ministers on lowering the cost of fuel.

Jim Mather: Scottish ministers have been in regular contact with the UK government on the issue of fuel costs on a number of occasions in recent months. Examples of this include writing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to call for a delay in the planed increase in fuel duty which was subsequently postponed. We have also written to the then Scottish Secretary calling to action to alleviate the impact of high fuel prices on vulnerable households in response to the changing economic climate. We also requested use of an EU derogation which would allow a lower rate of fuel duty to be levied in rural and island communities – two areas hardest hit by the increase in fuel prices. We have also discussed assistance for the fishing industry with UK ministers on a number of separate occasions.

  The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing attended the UK-wide ministerial Fuel Poverty group in July 2008 and discussions on fuel poverty issues have since continued.

  We are continuing to press the UK government for action to minimise the impact of high fuel prices, particularly on our most vulnerable people, including urging a reduction on taxation on domestic energy bills this winter. We are also in discussions with the UK government on a range of UK-wide energy saving initiatives to ensure that Scottish consumers receive at least a fair share of the benefits. We have also said that greater powers over energy matters would allow the right decisions to be taken on energy policy for Scotland, as part of the National Conversation.

Fuel Costs

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with fuel companies on lowering the cost of petrol.

Jim Mather: We have not held specific recent discussions with fuel companies on this issue. However, we made it clear that we would expect any fall in the price of oil to be passed on in the form of lower petrol prices as soon as possible.

  More generally, the Scottish Government has been actively calling for action to deal with the impact of rising petrol prices. We wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 3 June 2008 calling for the postponement of the planned 2p increase in fuel duty for October 2008, which subsequently occurred. We also called for the introduction of a fuel duty regulator so that any extra tax raised as a result of higher petrol prices went back into a fuel duty cut. In addition, we have also requested use of an EU derogation which would allow a lower rate of fuel duty to be levied in rural and island communities, two areas hardest hit by the increase in fuel prices.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will pilot the use of sterile clothing as a means of reducing the incidence of healthcare-acquired infections.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are no current plans to do so. Staff are expected to follow policy on the use of personal protective equipment, such as the use of disposable aprons and gloves and rigorous hand hygiene to protect staff and patients from potential cross infection.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is appropriate for healthcare workers to travel to and from work wearing their uniforms.

Nicola Sturgeon: Policies relating to NHSScotland uniforms and dress code are in need of review, and the Scottish Government’s Health and Wellbeing Directorates are in the process of finalising a national dress code for NHSScotland. Issues that may act as a barrier to good practice, such as the availability of changing and laundry facilities, are also under consideration.

Homecoming Scotland

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11852 by Jim Mather on 24 April 2008, how many signature events have been confirmed for Homecoming Scotland 2009.

Jim Mather: There are fourteen Homecoming Scotland 2009 events funded as part of the signature programme. These sit across five signature programmes of activity: Burns Anniversary Opening Weekend (January); Whisky Month (May); summer programme (June to July); autumn (International Rally Championship and Highland Homecoming), and the finale (November).

Homecoming Scotland

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11852 by Jim Mather on 24 April 2008, how much funding has been allocated to signature events for Homecoming Scotland 2009 in Ayrshire.

Jim Mather: £220,000 has been allocated to signature events for Homecoming Scotland 2009 in Ayrshire.

Homecoming Scotland

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11852 by Jim Mather on 24 April 2008, how much funding has been allocated to themed events for Homecoming Scotland 2009 in Ayrshire.

Jim Mather: £45,000 has been allocated to themed events for Homecoming Scotland 2009 in Ayrshire. A further themed event, Doors Open Days, will take place across Scotland including locations in Ayrshire. Programme details will be announced soon, so at this time it is not possible to say how much funding for this event will be allocated to Ayrshire events.

Homecoming Scotland

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11980 by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008, when it will be possible to identify how much of the funding from the grant of £1,335,338 awarded to VisitScotland for Homecoming Scotland 2009 through the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007-13 for Lowlands and Uplands Scotland under Priority 4 rural development funding will be allocated to communities, organisations or rural communities.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11978 by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008, when it will be possible to identify how much of the funding from the grant of £1,335,338 awarded to VisitScotland for Homecoming Scotland 2009 through the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007-13 for Lowlands and Uplands Scotland under Priority 4 rural development funding will be allocated to organisations in (a) East Ayrshire and (b) South Ayrshire.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11977 by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008, when it will be possible to identify how much of the funding from the grant of £1,335,338 awarded to VisitScotland for Homecoming Scotland 2009 through the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007-13 for Lowlands and Uplands Scotland under Priority 4 rural development funding will be allocated to communities in (a) East Ayrshire and (b) South Ayrshire.

Jim Mather: The application to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is part of a national, strategic project focusing on the marketing and promotion of Homecoming. Those events taking place in the eight eligible areas, including East Ayrshire, will benefit from marketing activity supported with ERDF funding.

  This marketing activity would not be happening to the extent it is without this funding. ERDF funding is claimed back after the expenditure has occurred.

Homecoming Scotland

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what total amount of funding it has allocated to support events organised by communities and other organisations that will feature as part of Homecoming Scotland 2009 in (a) East Ayrshire and (b) South Ayrshire.

Jim Mather: Homecoming events in East Ayrshire have been allocated £40,000, while events in South Ayrshire have been allocated £259,000 of Homecoming funding. These events include signature, themed and rolling programme events. Information on which of the organisers of these events could be classified as community organisations is not available.

  An additional themed event will take place at locations across Ayrshire as part of Doors Open Days. Locations will be announced by organisers soon, so at this time it is not possible to include a breakdown of the funding that will go to the Ayrshire events.

Housing

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-17299 and S3W-17300 by Stewart Maxwell on 6 November 2008, when the statutory guidance and regulations for local councils will be placed before the Parliament.

Stewart Maxwell: The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 (Scheme of Assistance) Regulations 2008 were considered by the Local Government and Communities Committee on 12 November 2008, which recommended to the Parliament that they be approved. Draft statutory guidance accompanying the draft regulations was the subject of a 12-week consultation process between April and July 2008. I expect the guidance to be finalised, in the light of the Parliament’s consideration of the regulations, early in 2009. The guidance does not require to be considered by the Parliament, but will be made available to members through the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. (Bib. number 46960).

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether distillery visitor centres and whisky shops will be exempt from the forthcoming Licensing Act legislation.

Kenny MacAskill: The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 does not exempt distillery visitor centres and whisky shops from the requirements of the act.

  Wider issues concerning the promotion of alcohol and potential measures under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 are being considered in light of the responses to the Scottish Government’s consultation Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol, but we are clear that we do not propose to ban promotions that explain the method of production, history and heritage of Scotland’s quality products. We have already given the Scotch Whisky Association an assurance that we will discuss these matters with them before proposing any regulatory action to end the irresponsible promotion of alcohol. I also gave an assurance, when I met the Scotch Whisky Association and toured Dewar’s World of Whisky on 21 July 2008, that our proposals will not prevent drams being provided as part of distillery tours.

Lottery Funding

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether applicants for the Awards for All scheme will be affected by a shortfall of around 10% compared with funds previously on offer in Scotland.

John Swinney: The future of the Awards for All scheme in Scotland was assured earlier this month when the Big Lottery Fund and Sportscotland confirmed their commitment to the scheme, providing funding at about 90% of the current levels. While, Heritage Lottery Fund will no longer be a part of Awards for All, funding for small heritage grants will be provided through its dedicated Young Roots and Your Heritage programmes. Scottish Arts Council will confirm its position in December.

Ministerial Engagements

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the public speaking engagements for each Scottish minister since May 2007.

John Swinney: The information sought could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Engagements

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many official engagements each minister has undertaken since May 2007.

John Swinney: The records that the Scottish Government holds centrally show that there has been over 18,000 engagements recorded since May 2007. Over 10,000 of these were official engagements held outwith the Scottish Government estate.

Rail Services

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome is of its review of rail fares policy in Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government will continue its fares policy at RPI+1% for regulated fares and that there will be no change in balance between regulated and unregulated fares.

  In addition, we have looked at the position in the Strathclyde area. Ministers will align Strathclyde fares changes with the rest of Scotland from January 2009. So that Strathclyde passengers are not adversely affected by the earlier increase ministers have secured a lower rate of increase to Strathclyde fares at 4%. Strathclyde fares would have increased by 6% in May 2009.

  Both of these measures are consistent with the aims of Scotland’s Railways; they will maintain the affordability of passenger rail travel and simplify fares arrangements.

Renewable Energy

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual energy output is of wind turbines.

Jim Mather: This information is not held centrally in the format requested. Electricity output from wind turbines will vary depending on factors such as the design, size and location, including whether onshore or offshore, of the turbines in question. All of these elements will affect the capacity factor of a wind turbine.

  Output from individual turbines at commercial sites is usually a matter of commercial confidentiality.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) energy and (b) electricity consumed in Scotland is from renewable sources, broken down by technology and compared with equivalent UK-wide figures.

Jim Mather: (a) An estimate of final energy consumption accounted for by renewable energy is given in the following table

  Energy Generated by Renewables as a Percentage of Final Energy Consumption, 2006 (Latest Available Figures)

  

 
 Scotland
 UK


 Renewable electricity1
 4.2%
 1.1%


 Renewable heat2
 0.3%
 0.3%


 Renewable transport3
 0.1%
 0.1%


 Total renewables
 4.6%
 1.5%



  Notes:

  1. Where renewable electricity is apportioned as indicated below.

  2. Where renewable heat is various forms of biomass with wood taking the largest slice

  3. Where renewable transport is liquid biofuels

  (b) The relevant figures on renewables as a percentage of gross consumption are given in the following table.

  Electricity Generated by Renewables as a Percentage of Gross Consumption1, 2006 (Latest Available Figures)

  

 
 Scotland
 UK


 Hydro2
 9.9%
 1.1%


 Wind and wave 
 4.7%
 1.0%


 Landfill Gas
 1.0%
 1.1%


 Other biofuels3
 0.7%
 1.2%


 Solar Photovoltaics4
 -
 0.0%


 Total renewables5
 16.3%
 4.5%



  Notes:

  1. Gross consumption equals the amount of electricity generated, minus exports and plus imports.

  2. Excludes electricity generated from hydro-pumped storage.

  3. Includes biofuels co-fired with fossil fuels.

  4. Solar photovoltaics are estimated on a UK-wide basis that cannot readily be broken down into regional components.

  5. Figures are rounded and do not necessarily sum to the total.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the European Commission regarding the connection of renewable generation capacity to electricity markets.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has highlighted the importance of offshore grid connections to encourage renewable generation and exports from Scotland as well as future energy security in Europe. This has been conveyed to the European Commission both in writing and in meetings such as that between the First Minister and Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs in July 2007.

  We welcome the Commission’s decision to identify the development of a blueprint for a North Sea offshore grid as one of its energy infrastructure priorities in its recently published Second Strategic Energy Review.

School Meals

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what cash resources it has made available to (a) Highland, (b) Moray, (c) Argyll and Bute, (d) Shetland, (e) Western Isles and (f) Orkney councils to implement free school meals from August 2009 for pupils whose parents or carers are in receipt of both maximum child and working tax credits.

Adam Ingram: The cash resource for councils to implement free school meals from August 2009 for pupils whose parents or carers are in receipt of both maximum child and working tax credit is contained within the local government settlement for 2008-11. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16916 on 29 October 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

School Meals

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are of increasing the entitlement to free school meals to include pupils whose parents or carers are in receipt of both maximum child and working tax credit for other local authority entitlements which are based on their free school meals entitlement.

Adam Ingram: The government is currently considering the implications of increasing the entitlement for the benefit of children.

School Meals

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what participation rates among P1 to P3 pupils receiving free school meals from August 2010 were assumed in the local government finance settlement for the period up to 2011.

Adam Ingram: We have assumed participation rates of 70% of P1 to P3 pupils that would not otherwise be entitled to free school meals.

Scottish Futures Trust

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all meetings that its ministers and officials have had with the Chair of the Scottish Futures Trust company since May 2007, showing the (a) purpose and (b) location of each meeting.

John Swinney: The following tables contain information on meetings to 29 September 2008 between Scottish Ministers and Scottish Government officials and Sir Angus Grossart in connection with the Scottish Futures Trust:

  Scottish Ministers

  

 Ministers
 Date
 Purpose of Meeting
 Location of Meeting


 Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
 17 June 2008
 Briefing meeting, including meal
 Edinburgh


 Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
 6 August 2008
 Discussion meeting
 St Andrew’s House


 First Minister, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
 1 September 2008
 Briefing meeting
 Bute House


 Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
 8 September 2008
 Briefing meeting
 St Andrew’s House


 Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
 10 September 2008
 Press appointment meeting
 St Andrew’s House


 Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
 11 September 2008
 Briefing meeting, including meal
 Edinburgh



  Scottish Government Officials

  

 Officials
 Date
 Purpose of Meeting
 Location of Meeting


Stella ManzieAlyson StaffordAlistair Brown
 8 September 2008
 Introductory meeting
 St Andrew’s House


 Alistair Brown
 8 September 2008
 Briefing meeting, including meal
 Edinburgh


Alistair BrownRab Fleming
 18 September 2008
 Briefing meeting
 Noble Grossart offices


 Sandy Rosie
 23 September 
 Introductory meeting
 Noble Grossart offices


Rab FlemingNeil Trotter
 29 September 2008
 Briefing meeting
 Noble Grossart offices



  A number of other meetings have been held on other subjects.